GREAT NEWS! DNA Test for Degenerative Myelopathy - Page 6

--- > Hat's off to the fine folks who have taken on this great task which will help quality oriented GSD breeders worldwide.

Thank you, Preston :) I worked very hard on the GSDBBR, and thankfully, Angus Cooke from the UK volunteered his time to do the coding for the Registry. It took almost a year to build.  It would be a huge help to the breeders and to the breed, if it was utilized... Perhaps you could help spread the word? On behalf of the breed, I would appreciate it.  The health of the breed would be so much better if this Registry had participation- especially worldwide particpation. That is why I included so many different venues for testing for hip and elbow scores, as there is np standardized method of testing, worldwide. I also made a comments section in case someone had something to add, that wasnt on the Registry questionnaire..

Keep up the great work you are doing for the breed, Marjorie.  You have already made amazing progress.  Thank God for folks like you who are working so hard to protect and improve the GSD breed.

DR Clemmons believes the DM Flash test in clinically affected dogs probably does diagnose DM; however, some cases of DM have other disease, too. So, he does not think you can completely replace other tests if:

--you have the money

--the patient can handle the tests

--the tests are available by someone who can do them right

--  >Keep up the great work you are doing for the breed, Marjorie.

Big Smile :) I love this breed with all my heart, and I promised Jack Flash, the day I had to set him free from his DM, that I would always watch over his kind, as he always watched over me... Most of the time I am running against the wind, but I have promises to keep, and keep them, I will...

Marjorie --> The German Shepherd Dog Breed Betterment Registry (including frozen/chilled semen database)
Please utilize this registry to ensure a healthy future for our breed!
Be PROACTIVE!
 http://mzjf.com --> The Degenerative Myelopathy Support Group
http://www.gsdbbr.org

Marj, is there anything I can do to help out with the DM study after Bltiz's DNA results are back or does it depend on those results? Should I list his information in the BB database? His health record is non-remarkable, has had few sick days, diarrhea,  and has only had a prelim hip xray at 8 months.  What about my first GSD that died young? I did enter his information on your original database, but I don't think he's  on the Breed Betterment list.  His breeder will be angry again, but the truth is the truth. Please let us know if we can help out with reporting information on assymptomatic dogs. I think many here will want to help identify the carriers and to find a cure for this horrible disease. Thanks................

Did you do a search to see if he is on the GSBBR or Heaven;s Gate? If he isnt on the GSDBBR, yes it would be great t enter him, as well as your present dog. The GSDBBR is not only for dogs with health problems- we need to see the ENTIRE picture, for the registry to work, and that includes healthy dogs! We need to see which lines work wel together, and which ones, when bred together, produce problems.  That will give a more complete picture as to the direction in which thebreed should head. Will jhelp take out the guesswork, IF people DO THEIR HOMEWORK, before they breed!

As far as what you can do now, the GSDCA has funded the processing of blood sample dna cards we handed out a while ago to several of the breed clubs, so right now, we need to process the cards. If you want to have a Flash test done, as well, it would be nice to see how it compares to the gene test you did. That would be interesting!

Thanks :)

I know he's on Heaven's Gate, not the BB. Will take your advice and have the Flash test done to compare. I can take the blood myself. Will Clemmons accept it from the owner and not a vet.? What are the blood sample DNA cards?

--- >Will Clemmons accept it from the owner and not a vet.?
A CBC (purple top, EDTA) tube is collected from a peripheral vein, ansd shipped with a cold pack (not frozen), and shipped to:

Dr. Clemmons’ Lab

% VMC Clinical Pathology Laboratory

2015 SW 16th Avenue

Gainesville, FL 32610

(352) 392-2235 Ex 4400

It is best to ship the package on a cold pack, but do not freeze the sample- send via overnight or 2 day air.

The blood sample dna cards are cards especially made for collecting blood from dna samples,that we used when participating clubs did blood draws for research, for Dr Clemmons.

BTW, Heaven's Gate, for those of you who arent familiar with it, is a strictly cause of deathdatabase for GSDS, that I created. Pet owners can enter their dogs, there, and rescued GSDS, as well. A GSD need not be a registered GSD to be entered upon that database.I thought it was important to look not only at titled lines, but all GSDS, to get a better view of the breed problems. There is lots of interesting info there, because it was created before the GSDBBR, so there are many more entries, as well as archived entries, if you want to look further back in the bloodlines.

http://www.mzjf.info/hgate Heaven's Gate

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